


Odds and Ends

by cyandlne



Category: Tales of Graces
Genre: F/M, Gen, Multi, and someone might die, but have fun and be sad, idk yet, just mentioned, long hard and sad, the other relationships aren't really developed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-05-02 11:38:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5246882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyandlne/pseuds/cyandlne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's very easy to avoid guilt by justifying one's actions to themself, and that will be hard to forget when Pascal must abandon her country in favor of saving herself. That will be hard to forget when Hubert struggles to maintain his station in Strahta's trying times, when Malik does not want another rebellion, when Cheria's relief organization is more biased than she could ever know, when Asbel is faced with a difficult decision, and when Lamdba can't forget what he's done. This will be very, very hard to forget.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Odds and Ends

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go! Boy have I been wanting to write a long, sad, Huscal fic, and make some, uh, small, revisions to the future arc. And I finally got there. So, please enjoy.

It wasn't unexpected. Pascal couldn't have fathomed that Richard would've been let back onto the throne so quickly - even to have his country truly recognize him as a redeemed man, or even a citizen. She couldn't have expected the other countries to have forgiven him easily, if at all. As much as she trusted Lamdba now, and she trusted Asbel's ability to reform him, she worried about conflicts she knew wouldn't be avoided that were caused by him. But of course, she was the cheerful Pascal, and as always, she's there to show the light at the end of the tunnel. Richard was back to normal, and as was Lamdba. It was not her place to ruin the mood and tell her friends what they should expect upon returning home. Yet, why did she feel so guilty about Asbel's naïve attempts at convincing the Kingdom of Windor of Richard's redemption, or Sophie's relentless optimism that Richard would reign once again, or even Cheria's hope that life could be restored to its former peace and glory. Hell, even the captain showed signs of expecting Fendel to jump back on its feet. But there was one person she could count on.

Hubert Oswell, the forever pessimist, certainly knew these things could not be restored fully. They may never be, and if they are to be, it would not be in their lifetimes. Sophie would see it, but not them. Hubert Oswell knew these things. And Pascal was grateful that Hubert Oswell had the audacity and the lack of filter to bring them to their friends attention.

Except, he didn't.

Maybe he, like her, had read the atmosphere of the situation. Maybe, for once in the time she had known him, he understood how the people felt and did not want to tamper with it. And that's why she sat her, feeling guilty that these people before her, her comrades, her friends, her family, incessantly attempted to bring this back to the fairytale ending they thought it deserved.

But, in as simple terms as possible, it didn't deserve a fairytale ending.

Pascal considered what had happened. This man, King Richard, had been apparently crazed, and stole the eleth from the valkines cryas, something all life forms depended on. Windor, a country heavily reliant on crop growth for survival, now had nothing to eat without winds to bring rain. Strahta, a once wealthy, prosperous and beautiful nation, reduced to a withered, deserted husk of sand and isolation. And Fendel. A country oozing poverty, now without the little they had to get by. And even though the eleth had been restored, and business could continue, the people would not forget.

And the majority of them would not forgive.

What struck her as odd, however, was that Richard was let back onto the throne as ruler. She wasn't sure if it was just for show, or he actually had his power back. He never really had lost the title of King, and being the only heir to the throne, it made sense that in their disarray, they looked to someone, anyone, for guidance. 

Pascal had gone back to her home in the Amarcian Enclave, where she took samples from Fodra and began to work them into her research. The looming of the imminent outburst hung over her, lingering as she continued to try and work through it. She saw the anger and hurt in the chancellor's eyes, and knew he could not sit idly as the man who drove his country further into a depression than ever before, sat and collected royalties without consequence. Pascal saw all of this, and mentioned nothing. But it was only a matter of time before all hell broke loose.

"Fourier," She confided in her sister as they worked together in the Fendelian Research Laboratory. "I'm kinda worried."

"And what, pray tell," Fourier retorted, without looking up from her work. "Are you worried about?"

"I'm worried for Windor. And Fendel. And Strahta. Tensions are high, y'know? It's only a matter of time before something happens -"

"Don't worry." Fourier replied sharply. "We, as Amarcians, have nothing to fear. Even if the nations do go to war, we are secluded and not involved. We are our own nation."

"But, we're not..." Pascal added somberly. "Our home is in Fendel's borders. The chancellor owns our land, our home. He owns us. And, as much as I trust Malik, he's only one man. And against the chancellor? Pssht, he's nothin." Pascal decided to ignore Fourier's neglect for the other countries.

"We will, as a people, retaliate if push comes to shove. Which I doubt. The world is back on track, right? It may not be perfect, but it's on it's way. How could that idiot of a chancellor," Fourier spoke as her voice got tenser. "Have any issues with it?"

"You've never met Fendel's chancellor." Pascal answered, with a nervous laugh. Only time would tell what was next. She decided it might help to take some matters into her own hands.

That night, as she came back from the lab, she pulled out a pen and a paper. Using her neatest handwriting, she drafted a letter.  
"Dear Little Bro,  
Hey. I'm not sure if and when you'll get this, but I'm scared. The chancellor is going to declare war on Windor any minute; the whole country knows it. I know the soldiers were pleased with my and Fourier's weapon designs that they used in the last war, and I'm worried that they might make us upgrade them, with or without our consent. I'm begging you, please, let Fourier, Poisson and I stay in Strahta if the chancellor loses it. Tell the President for us that if he can provide free lodging, the three of us will work for Strahta in her time of need. Get back to me ASAP.  
Love,  
Pascal"  
It was a desperate last resort, but it was all she had. Besides, if the chancellor declared war soon, all communications would be cut off from in and out of Fendel. The letter would have to be sent tonight if it had hopes of reaching Hubert.   
Pascal relied only on blind faith that he would be able to respond before it was too late.

Luckily for Pascal, the timeline of events was that Hubert was able to receive and reply to the letter before Fendel's borders were closed. Pascal's hands were shaking as she opened it carefully.  
"Dear Pascal,  
I have discussed the state of your affairs with the President, and he has assigned the task to my father and I to lodge the three of you, in the event that you provide your knowledge, time, and resources to help Strahta's cause for peace and self-defense. It would be in your best interest to pack and leave as soon as you get this. If Chancellor Eigen is considering a time of war as you have stated, it's only a matter of time before the borders are closed. I wish you a safe and successful journey to Yu Liberte.   
Yours Truly,  
Hubert Oswell"  
Pascal brought the letter to her chest and hugged it tightly. She knew Little Bro would come through! She spent the next few hours packing her belongings. Now, it was time to communicate her concerns to her sister and Poisson, and get them out of the enclave.

When she reached the Overseer's Building, she was relieved to see Poisson still on duty, organizing one of the bookshelves.

"Poisson!" She yelled excitedly, pulling the little Amarcian into a hug from behind.

"Hello, Pascal," Poisson said happily, not quite accepting the embrace but not rejecting it either. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Listen, now isn't the time to talk about all that. We need to get out of here."

"...What do you mean?"

"I swear to you, Eigen's gonna declare war on Windor again any second now, and who knows what he'll force us to do to help with his sick agenda. We'll probably be forced into weapons development and I," She paused. "I can't be responsible for someone's death, Poisson. I just can't. And I don't want to help the chancellor either. I've already made arrangements to go to Strahta - we're gonna help them in their time of need while staying out of the way of the war. Come on, pack up your stuff and let's go!"

Poisson gave a stagnant expression. "I can't."

"You what?"

"I'm sorry, Pascal, but I refuse. If a time for war is upon us, then it is my responsibility - nay, my duty to stay by the side of the citizens."

"Poisson, no..." Pascal felt the back of her eyes burn.

"I've made up my mind. I'm not going. I will stay here."

"What if I never see you again, Poisson?!" Pascal cried, tears now flooding down her face. "Think about yourself for once! I won't get to talk to you during the war, let alone see you - I can't lose you, Poisson...I can't..."

"I know, Pascal." The little girl pulled her into a tight hug once again. "But here. I have something I'd like to show you." She lead Pascal into a small room, where about 6 devices sat on a table. "These are my communicators," She said, motioning to the table. "Though I'm not sure if they work 100% yet. If I had the time, I'd fix them now, but if you're so insistent on leaving now, I suppose there's no room for improvement. You type the message here, then choose a recipient. Any other communicator like this one can get a message, if you register the ID number. Take them. I'll keep one."

"What am I gonna do with 4 extras?" Pascal sniffled.

"That's for you to decide, Pascal." Poisson smiled.

"I'll miss ya, mom ami."

"Pareil pour toi, Pascal." Poisson pulled her into a hug once again. "Stay safe, and don't hesitate to contact me. I'll stay in touch."

"You got it, petit sœur." Pascal gave her a kiss on the cheek, and left the building with tears in her eyes once again. She told Fourier of the plan, to which she was a little hesitant to. 

"Fourier, c'mon."

"Pascal, how can you be so sure the chancellor will drive us out? If he doesn't, we'll be fools, abandoning our home in an act of selfishness."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Pascal affirmed.

"And the others? Why was it only me and Poisson you were concerned with?"

"It'll look pretty suspicious if all the Amarcians left the enclave and fled to other parts of the world. Eigen would know. And if I had to pick two, it'd be you guys, no question."

"I'll go," Fourier said angrily. "Out of respect for the President of Strahta's and the Oswell's gracious offers. I can't believe you contacted them before telling me."

"Well," Pascal smiled. "Now you know why."

As she left Fourier to pack her things, she headed for Zahvert. She checked every bar in town before finding Captain Malik.

"Captain, yo!"

"Ah, Pascal," He turned around in his chair and smiled at the girl. "It's nice to see you. What brings you here?"

"No time for chit-chat, Cap'n!" She reached into her back pocket at pulled out a communicator. "Take this."

"What is it?"

"It's a communicator I had Poisson design," Pascal lied and tugged at her scarf nervously. "If you ever need me to come out to the valkines and work on the hot water system, just send a message here, and select 'Pascal' in the name system."

"Oh, Hubert and Cheria's names are here too."

"Well yeah," She lied again. "They are the only other people who have one." 

"Oh, well," The captain fumbled with the device in his hands. "Thank you, Pascal."

"No biggie, Captain!" She bent down a bit and kissed him cheerfully on the cheek. "See you soon, kay? And stay safe!" Those were her parting words as she opened the bar door and stepped out into the cold once again.

She probably didn't have much time, and Fourier might get moody if she was late for their departure. But she didn't care. The last thing she was doing was loosing her friends without saying goodbye.

On her way to Windor, she was lucky to spot Cheria's relief organization on duty right on the border.  
"Cheria!" She called out, smiling. Cheria looked up without removing her healing hands from a patient and smiled. 

"Hello, Pascal. What's going on?"

"A lot, actually. Can I talk to you in private?"

"Um," She looked at the patient, who nodded. "Sure, just give me a minute. Meet me over there."

On her way to the rendezvous spot, she saw Raymond Oswell and decided to say hello. He didn't recognize her.

"Is everything alright, Pascal?"

"Sort of? Look, I really don't have much time, so take this." She practically shoved the communicator into Cheria's hands.

"What is it?"

"A communicator Poisson made. I'm worried about Chancellor Eigen declaring war, and Fourier and I are heading to Strahta to stay with Little Bro until this all blows over, and I just wanted to make sure you're safe, y'know?"

"That's very kind of you!" Cheria smiled. "Can you show me how it works?"

"Sure. Type something here, and chose a recipient."

"Oh, Asbel, Captain Malik, and Hubert have one too?"

"Well, they will. Just use it to keep in touch, especially for the relief organization. Who knows how many injuries will come with this war..."

"I sure hope for everyone's sake there won't be one..."

"Dare to dream, Cher." She pulled her into a tight hug. It lasted for at least 30 seconds.

"Stay safe!" Pascal called out as she ran out to find Asbel.

Pascal felt guilty as she reached Lhant Manor. It had been almost a month before they gathered here to reconvene before fighting Lambda. And who knew how long it would be before she got to come back? She hesitantly knocked on the door.

"Ah! Miss Pascal!" Frederick said politely, bowing upon her entrance.

"Hi, Freddy! Can you get Asbel to come down and see me?"

"I'll fetch him straightaway."

"Thanks."

Pascal rocked on her heels as he waited for the Lord of Lhant to grace her presence. What was taking so long? If only he knew she had somewhere to be...

"Ye - Hey, Pascal!"

"Hi, Asbel. Can I talk to you in private for a sec?"

"Uh, sure. What's up?" He motioned her inside and led her into his study.

"Well, I guess I'll just get to the point. War is inevitable at this point."

"No! Richard's not going to do anything else -"

"I'm not talking about Richard." Pascal replied sternly, looking at Asbel's dark eye. "I'm talking about the chancellor of Fendel. Dude's like a ticking time bomb. And the last thing I want is for the Amarcians to have to pick sides."

"What do you mean?"

"The chancellor's gonna force us to fight, or devise strategies and weapons. He took a bunch of us last time you guys went to war. I'm not letting it happen to me. I'm going to Strahta, with Fourier. They won't be involved in the war. It's Richard that Eigen is after. But I wanted to give you this..." Pascal handed him a communicator. 

"And this is?"

"A communicator. Poisson made it for me." Pascal felt a lump in her throat as she began to lie once again. "Only Hubert, Cheria and I have them. Use this to tell Cheria when her relief thingie needs to come and help Windor's Knights. Hubert and I will be worried, so type in anything you or Sophie have to say here," She pointed to the keypad. "And select the recipients. I'll check in periodically."

"...Got it."

"Okay, I gotta go." She pulled him into a tight embrace, then made for the door. "Tell Sophie I send my love, and hug her tight for me. See ya!"

"Wait, Pascal."

"...Yeah?"

"Are you sure? ...About the war? Does the chancellor really not trust Richard?"

"I know it's hard for you, Asbel, but consider it this way. Fendel's been struggling for forever, and Lamdba's tantrum really dug 'em deep. Now, Richard's back on the throne with what appears to be no consequences - "

"If Chancellor Eigen knew what it was like here - "

"I know, Asbel. But the heart of the matter is that he doesn't. And there's no stopping him."

Silence. 

"Bye, Asbel."

"Goodbye, Pascal."

Pascal fought tears as she ran out of the manor. The gravitas of the situation only just hit her. Every country struggled, and no other knew just how bad it was. She worried for how bad Strahta was going to be.

Fourier was angry when Pascal got back, but she was more inconvenienced than upset. The two hurried out of the country and boarded a ship to Oul Raye's port, wishing their home one last goodbye. It may be the last time they ever see it.

The ride to Oul Raye was a smooth crossing, and the sisters were rather pleased with how short it was. They were already drained from Strahta's heat, and carrying the luggage along the desert was not an option if it was only going to intensify. They decided a Turtlez transport was a better option, but both were hesitant to spend the little money they had. Upon reaching Yu Liberte, Pascal couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety in her hand as she went to knock on the door of the Oswell Manor.

"Yes?" A maid answered the door. "Ah, hello! Miss Pascal and Miss Fourier, I assume?" The girls nodded. "Here, I'll show you to where you'll be staying. Master Oswell and young Master Hubert are both currently out. Mister Oswell is at a meeting with the President, while the young Master is on site near the valkines. Follow me," She led them up a set of stairs into a long hallway, with more doors than Pascal had time to count. "Here, Miss Pascal," She said, opening one of the doors. "This will be your room." The door revealed a beautiful suite with a king sized bed, luxurious wood armoire, a full length mirror, and a desk on the left wall. Pascal was overwhelmed as she dropped her suitcase on the floor. "That door over there leads to the master bathroom, which is also connected to Miss Fourier's room, as you'll see," She motioned for them to follow her through the door. The bathroom was almost as, if not nicer than the bedroom. A large vanity with two sinks and a huge mirror sat at the front, with a separate room for the toilet and shower inside another door on the left side at the back. A large bathtub sat on the right. When the maid opened the door, Fourier's room was essentially identical, except the armoire was on the other side of the bed. 

"I hope you will find the rooms to your liking," The maid said.

"I, I can't believe it..." Pascal finally said, awestruck. "It's amazing, and way more than we needed. Thanks a bunch!"

"Well! I'm glad you are satisfied. You must be hungry after that long trip - shall I prepare a meal for you after you get settled?"

Pascal looked to her sister, who nodded slightly. "No, that's fine," Fourier said. "If you don't mind, we'd actually rather meet Hubert at the valkines."

"That's fine. Would you prefer to go now? I can arrange for your belongings to be packed away for you - "

"Could you really?" Pascal asked, wide eyed. "Thank you so much, uh....I'm sorry, what was your name?"

"Um...Marie..."

"Thank you, Marie! You've been such a great help," Pascal said, pulling Marie into a hug. "We'll be back soon; Please tell Mr. O that we're here when he gets back."

"O-Of course..."

Pascal and Fourier raced back down the stairs to get to the door. They needed to meet Hubert on site, hopefully to start discussing the plans right away. The energy they had was unmatched, and they were able to make it to the ruins in about 30 minutes, taking them only another ten to finally reach the valkines.

The two saw Hubert standing there, commanding troops to do something or other.

"Don't you dare interrupt -"

"Hey! Little Bro!" Pascal called out, interrupting both her sister and Hubert. He turned sharply, his expression being described as shocked once seeing who had called for him. Pascal ran up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace, prompting him to accidentally swing her around due to her sheer force.

"H-Hello, Pascal..." He said, dazed. He adjusted his glasses.

"Nice ta see ya, Little Bro!" She smiled brightly. "We left our stuff back at your place. The maids are totally sweet! They said they'd unpack for us - ain't that nice?"

Hubert smiled. He had missed her way of speaking. "I suppose. They were only following orders."

"Nah, that Marie girl offered."

Hubert felt flushed. He didn't know who Marie was.

"Hello, Lieutenant Oswell." Fourier called out behind the two of them. She glared at Pascal. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"

"N-No! Nothing at all..." Hubert assured, flushed again. 

"Well, in any case, we thank you for your hospitality. The rooms we have are truly a delight."

"It's truly no trouble," Hubert said quietly. "You're helping our country in its time of need. That's more than we could ask for."

"Yeah, no biggie," Pascal stated casually. "We do what we can, y'know? It's kinda selfish in the first place, but, I'm not gonna stop ya from seeing us as heroes."

Fourier looked on with dismay. "...In any case, Lieutenant, have you seen the president?"

"Not as of late," He admitted, placing his chin in his hand to think. "But I'll let you know."

"Thank you."

"In any case, the two of you should get some rest. The sun is already setting - I'll head back with you for supper. We can get the ball rolling tomorrow with any preparations you'd have us make."

"Y'okie dokie!"

"Yes, of course."

The three walked back together in what Fourier considered endless chatter, but Hubert and Pascal saw it as no more than silence. They talked about this, that, and the other, caught up on these, those, and that, but they were just words filling the empty time space. They were meaningless. The two had much more personal things to discuss, but both wanted to hold off. It had been their first time seeing each other in months. There was no need to rush into intimate and deep conversation. Playful banter would work just fine. A beautiful meal greeted them uptown entering the house, then the dining hall, with an equally gentlemanly Garret Oswell sitting at the head of the table. The three sat.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my star researchers. Tell me, what made you two decided to come to Strahta and assist us?"

Pascal glanced at Hubert, who tugged at his collar nervously. "Well, we were actually pretty worried about war between Fendel and Windor again. I didn't want to have to take sides, so I convinced Fourier to come on over here," Pascal took a breath. "So that we could lay low. Plus, I can't imagine that Strahta wouldn't need some extra help in these trying times, y'know?"

Garret nodded slightly. "Yes, yes. Do you find your rooms to your liking?"

"They're incredible," Fourier said, taking a sip of wine from her glass. "We truly couldn't have asked for more. Thank you, sir."

"No need for formalities, Miss Fourier! Please, I insist you call me Garret."

She nodded.

"Merci," Pascal said, standing up. "But I'm afraid I gotta head off to bed. I'm," She yawned. "Super tired. Bonne nuit. À demain."

"I must head up as well," Fourier admitted. "Have a nice rest. I'll see you in the morning. What time do you need us on site tomorrow, Lieutenant?"

"That won't be necessary." Garret interjected. "You're tired! Please, take as much time as you need to get to the valkines. They'll be there all day."

"Yes, of course." Hubert added quietly.

The sisters made their way upstairs, and went into their respective rooms. Pascal changed into some pajamas, blew out the candle, and was ready for a good night's sleep.

That was, until, she noticed a light on the communicator.

She reached over and checked to see what messages she had received. A total of three, from Poisson, Cheria, and Asbel. She took a deep breath before mustering the courage to read them. It didn't take long. It was nine words total, three from each sender. That was all they needed. Pascal set the communicator on the table, trying her absolute hardest to forget what they had said. But the words echoed in her mind, over and over, haunting her and the selfish decision she had made, ultimately giving her her first and biggest regret. Tossing and turning, she could not forget the words said by her friends.

_You were right._


End file.
